[unreadable] The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity is the premier meeting in the field of microbial pathogenesis. It has been running biennially since 1972. The 2008 meeting will be held from July 13 - 18 at the Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire, its site for many years. The main objective of this conference is to share the newest knowledge from research on bacterial toxins, microbial pathogenesis and mechanisms of the host response to microbial pathogens. Speakers include well-established leaders in the field as well as young investigators of exceptional promise. The meeting will consist of nine sessions, each of which will be chaired by a prominent investigator who presents a summary of the session topic and places speakers' work into context for the attendees. The session chair also serves as discussion leader after each talk, to maintain a high level of interaction between the attendees and the speakers. In addition to the plenary talks, the meeting includes lively and highly interactive poster sessions. In 2008, the main conference will be preceded by a weekend meeting planned by and for post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees in the field of microbial pathogenesis. This meeting, the Gordon-Kenan Graduate Research Seminar on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity, will provide a forum for these future leaders in the field to present their work in talks and posters, in a collegial and interactive environment that will add outstanding value to their overall GRC experience. The Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity is a biennial meeting of the top investigators in the field of microbial pathogenesis. The 2008 meeting is July 13-18 at Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire. Nine seminar sessions will be held in which leading researchers will present recent data on a variety of topics relevant to the field. In addition to these invited talks, poster sessions will enable attendees to share new experimental findings in a lively and interactive setting. The meeting will include ample time for informal, collegial interactions that are so essential for carrying out science. A short mini-conference on microbial pathogenesis will be held preceding the main meeting. This will be organized by and for post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees in the field of microbial pathogenesis. This short conference will provide an exceptional opportunity for peer group interaction among future leaders of the field. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]